Clothes-drier



) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

Y ..E. F. ROUSE. r CLOTHES DRIER.

No. 437,247. Patented Sept. 30,1890.

7 "WM CZ WiTNESSES'.

BY ffiffw ATTURNE t (N0 Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

E. F. ROUSE. CLOTHES DRIER.

No. 437,247. Patented Sept. 30, 1890.

INVENTUR BY We ATTOHN UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWIN F. RoUsE, or BAY CITY, MICHIGAN.

.CLOTHES;DRIER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 437,247, dated September 30, 1890.

' Application filed August 20, 1888. Seria1No.283,179- (No model.)

To all whom it mag concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWIN F. ROUSE, of Bay City, in the county ofBay, in the State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Clothes-Briers, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in clothes-driers of the class in which the drierarms are adapted to moveverticallv upon a supporting-post, which arms, as preferably formed, may rotate freely thereon independ ently of the hoisting mechanism for elevating the aforesaid drier-arms; and the object of my invention is to provide simple and effective hoisting means for easily hoisting and lowering the drier-arms; also, to make all parts of the apparatus exceedingly simple to manufacture, and at the same time to secure strength and durability; and to this end my invention. consists, essentially, in combining with the supporting drier-post a screw for elevating and lowering the drier-arms.

It consists, also, in the detail construction and arrangement of the parts, all as hereinafter more fully described, and pointed out in the claims. r

In specifying. my invention reference is bad to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, like letters indicating corresponding parts in all the views, in which Figure l is an elevation of my improved clothes-drier, part thereof being shown in sec-- tion and a portion of the post broken away for the purpose of illustration. Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective, partly in section, of the top cap of my improved clothes-drier, clearly illustrating. the detail construction; Fig. 3 is a top plan of the cap illustrated in Fig. 2. Fig. i isatop plan view of the inner ends of the drier-arms in position in their sockets, which are preferably formed radial with the posts. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detached perspective, partly in section, of the arm-carrying sleeve, illustrating the detail construction of its parts which co-operate with the elevating-screw and the post to hoist and lower the drierarms. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the arm-carrying sleeve, illustrated in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is shown in Fig. '7. Fig. 9is a longitudinal section of a modified form of the arm-carrying sleeve with the post indicated by dotted lines. Fig. 10 is a detached side view of the base of the drier-post; and Fig. 11 is an enlarged sectional view of the drier-post, illustrating the operating-gears for transmitting motion to the sleeve and screw.

A represents the drier-post, which is preferably made up of two like. parts a: 00', said parts being of the same size, each constituting a half of the drier-post. The contour, of the parts is best shown in Figs. 1 and 10, the upper portion A thereof being provided with the slot (1, while the base is socketed at a, Fig. 11, for the reception of the standing screw S, the office of which will be presently explained. In the side of the post I provide the cut-out P, Figs. 1 and 11, and at the bottom of the socket ct, I provide a metal step-bearing s, which serves as a journal-bearing for the elevating-screw S. It will be observed that the slot to extends longitudinally through the post above the socket ct',an'd that by construct-ing the post A in halves the manufacture thereof is greatly simplified and lighter stock may be used, thereby economizing greatly in manufacturing the driers for commercial purposes.

The elevating or hoisting apparatus of my improved drier consists of a standing screw S, which has its lower journals set in the stepbearing .9, as best shown in the enlarged sectional view, Fig. 11, wherein S is the lower end of the elevating-screw, which I preferably provide with a screw-thread and screw the same into the hub j, which extends from the bevel-gear I, terminating in the journal s, which enters the step-bearing s, secured into the socket a of the post A. In order that the bearings may be prevented from turning in its seat and causing undue friction, it is desirable to fasten the same by means of suitable lugs s or screws projecting into the post A.

In the cut-out I in the side of the post I mount the bevel-gear I, which meshes with the gear I and transmits motion thereto from the crank-handle II, Fig. 1.

It will be observed that the journal h is journaled in the hub h of the plate I, which serves the twofold officc of closing the cutout P, while at the same time it forms a thrust-bearing for the journal h of the gear I. The inner end of the journal h rests in the step-bearing t, which is secured to the post A, Fig. 11, while the outer end of the journal h is squared, as shown in Fig. 11, and has the crank-handle II connected to the squared end.

The upper end on the screw S bears in the socket 0, formed in the cap 0, which is mounted on the top of the post A by means of the rim or flange c, which encircles the top of the post, and screws serve to securely confine the cap in place and prevent the same from being raised ott by the rotation of the screw S. As seen in Figs. 2 and 3, the cap 0 is provided with depending lugs 0 which fit into the slot a of the post A and serve to hold the sections 0: at apart the desired distance, and thereby keep the slot open in its normal position.

It will be observed upon reference to Fig. 1 that the standing screw S extends, preferably, from its seat in the step-bearing s to the socket c in the cap, and that the screw comes within the slot a of the post A, and that the screw turns freely in its bearings when the shaft 7t is rotated by turning the crank-h andle II.

In order to utilize the rotation of the screw S for the purpose of elevating or lowering the drier-arms B, I provide the arm-earryin g sleeve E. (Bestshownin the enlargeddetachcd sectional view, Fig. 5.) The sleeve E is pro- Vided near its base upon its exterior with the flange G, which forms asupport for the armbearing collar D, and the sleeve E is provided on its interior with a girt or flanges e e, which extend inwardly and ride in the slot a of the post A, preventing the arm-carryin g sleeve E from turningin its vertical movement on the post A. In some cases the arm-carrying sleeve may be constructed, as represented in Fig. 9, with the sleeve proper E running or bearing on the inside of the post and connected to a carrying annular bearing G by means of the girt e, which slides in the slot a of the post A.

Connected to the projecting flanges or girt c is the central hub F, provided with projecting lugs f f from its upper and lower edges and with the shoulders F F It will be observed upon reference to Fig. 5 that I provide the girt with the vertical extensions 6 e, extending above and below the shoulders of the hub F and projecting inwardly from the flanges 6 0, the office of which will be presently explained.

The screw S passes through the hub F of the sleeve E, and in order to connect the armcarrying sleeve E with the screw I provide the loose nuts N N shown in Fig. t. The nutsNN are substantially alike in construction, and are provided with a thread which engages the thread of the screw S, and they are also provided with notches f f in their peripheries, which take on the lugs ff, projecting from the hub F, and also on the projections e c shown in Fig. 5. It will be observed that I employ two nuts N N, which are substantiallythe same in shape, and that the said nuts are secured in position by the interlocking of the projectionsffaml the extensions c c with the notches f, formed in the periphery of the nuts. The lower nut N serves to engage with the thread and also with the hub F of the arm-carrying sleeve E, and by the rotation of the screw S serves to raise the drier-arms to any desired height, which is readily regulated by stopping the rotation of the screw when the desired elevation is attained. IVhile in all ordinary cases the lower nut Nwill be sufficient to raise and lower the carrying-sleeve, it will be understood that in its downward movement the nut N is liable to become disengaged from the lugs f f and projections c c by reason of undue cramping of the arms, which may be caused by warping of the slot a or uneven loading of the clothes. To obviate such disengagement, I provide the upper nut N',which engaging with the upper lugs and projections of the hub E serves to make the downward movement positive. 15y reference to the drawings it will be noticed that the surfaces F and F of the hub E do not touch the adjacent surfaces of the nuts N N, and by such construction I allow of'a certain slight rocking of the arms without binding the nuts on the screw S, thereby further adapting the parts to any warping of the slot or cramping of the arms.

The drier-arms B are secured in the armsockets (Z, which project from the arm-bearing collar D, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 4.

The position of the various parts when the device is assembled together is clearly shown in the sectional portion of Fig. 1, and the object of constructing the parts as heretofore described, which constitutes the preferred example of my invention, is for the purpose of makingthe manufacture of the device exceedingly simple.

It will be readily noticed that all of the parts may be cast, since the nice adjustment and fit thereof are of minor consequence.

ly using two loose nuts N N and providing the flanges and notches the parts can be readily assembled without any machining or fitting, and thereby the expense of n1anufac- 'ture is grcatlylessencd, while at the same time the durability of the device is greatly increased, since the hearing or wear of the low post, of a standing screw journaled in the thread of the screw in the nuts is greatly lessened. By reason of such minimum wear, because of the peculiar construction of the parts, it is often advisable to make the screw and nuts of wood when only light loads are to be used.

The operation of my improved clothesdrier will be readily understood from the foregoing and from a consideration of the drawlngs.

It will be observed that upon assembling the drier, as shown in Fig. 1, the drier-arms may be readily raised by simply turningthe handle H of the crank in the desired direction, and it will also be noticed that no stop device is necessary, since the screw supports the drier-arms at any desired point of adjustment. The arm-bearing collar being independent entirely in its connection to the arm-carrying sleeve E, the arms B are free to rotate on the arm-carrying sleeve E, while the arm-carrying sleeve E is maintained in its proper position by reason of the girt or flanges e e riding in the slot a of the post A. I do not, however, restrict my invention to the exact construction of the various parts, as illustrated and described in this my preferred example, since the specific construction of the parts may be readily varied without departing from the spirit of my invention.

It will be readily observed that the gears I I may be changed-that is, by substituting difierent sizes-and that the speed of the screw thereby changed, as desired. It will also be observed that the hub F maybe threaded and the screw turning therein operating to hoistor lower the drier-arms; but such construction is not as easy to manufacture or assemble in putting up the driers nor as effective in operation, and for these reasons I prefer to use the loose nuts N N and construct the arm-carrying sleeve as shown.

The engagement of the lugs and flanges with the notches f f in the nuts N N serve to keep the nuts from turning; but any suitable construction which accomplishes the same purpose will answer in place thereof.

Having thus fully described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination,with a longitudinal holpost and prevented from longitudinal movement therein, an arm-carrying sleeve mounted movably on the post, a nut secured to the sleeve having a thread engaging the standing screw, an arm-bearing collar turning freely on the sleeve, and means, substantially as described, for operating the screw, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The arm carrying sleeve E, having flanges or girts e e and hub F, in combination with the postA, having the slot 0., and the elevating-screw S, prevented from. longitudinal movement in said post, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination, with the arm-carrying sleeve E, having the hub F, projections or lugs f f, and flanges e e, of a nut N beneath the hub F and engaging the same, the screw S, and the post A, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. The combination, with the arm-bearing sleeve E, having hub F, projections or lugs ff, and flanges e e, of the nutsN N on either side of the hub F, having notches ff, the screw S, and the post A, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. The combination, with the post A, having the step 3 and the cut-out P, of the screw S, having its lower end 8 journaled in the step 3 and its upper end journaled in the socket c of the cap 0, the gear I, and the gear I, journaled in the cut-out P in the post A, the hub h, and the .plate P, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. The combination, with the slotted post A, of a screw S, journaled in the base and cap of the post, the arm-bearing sleeve E, having flanges riding in the slot at of the post, and a hub F, through which the screw S passes, the loose nuts N N, engaging, respectively, the lugs ff and flanges e e on the shoulders F and E of the hub F when the drier-arms are lowered or raised, and the armbearing collar D, turning freely on the flange G of the sleeve E, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. The post A, made of two parts 0202, provided with the slot a, socket ct, step 8, cut-out P, in combination with the screw S, nuts N N, cap 0, sleeve E, drier-arms B, collar D, gears I I, and handle H, all substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

. In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name, in the presence of two attesting witnesses, at Bay City, in the county of Bay, in the State of Michigan, this 8th day of August, 1888.

EDI/VIN F. ROUSE.

Witnesses:

GEORGE W. MANN, J os. J. Fonomn. 

